and so the moon wanes
by rubysunset
Summary: Artemis disappears and the seven go after her, first rescuing Piper and Annabeth from the Aphrodite cabin. chapter: the hero who sulks, are those... brownies, Valdez to the rescue, Superman (guess who that's going to be). Any ideas about where the story might go welcome (though I do have a backup plan). T for maybe rude characters later - cough cough coach hedge.
1. 1 lost

**much to my regret... i do not own Percy Jackson**

Chapter 1 – Lost – Artemis

It was dark, stormy, and I ran through the trees. Everywhere I looked Diana seemed to smile back. The first time I had seen that face I had almost thought it was myself, but the cheekbones were softer, and a gentle expression was in her eyes. It seemed mocking in the darkness of the forest. I had never felt so vulnerable – I was immortal for goodness sake! I was a hunter. Now I just felt like prey.

I shivered as a cold wind blew around me, wrapping me in a piercing, stinging chill. A shadow moved to my right and I looked around, my eyes flickering like the deer I had so often hunted.

Prey.

I stumbled forward, muttering prayers though I had no gods to pray to, getting more and more frantic, my feet slowly slipping in the mud. Finally my legs gave out, and I slammed into the ground. I thought I saw Diana watching me amused from the shadows, watching my fingers sink through the syrupy mud, turning my face away to attempt to get away from the pungent, filthy smell. I had tears in my eyes.

How Gaea must be laughing now; at a goddess grovelling and afraid, crawling amongst the mud – Gaea's very own earth. I, for the first time in a while, was scared.

I looked up at the moon, no longer beautiful, but fading on the horizon. I was too weak to keep it going. Darkness enveloped the forest, and I lay my head down, and gave up.

A/N: R&R next chapter will be funnier this was just sortta to introduce the plot i guess...


	2. 2 the hero who sulks

**I do not own the Percy Jackson series. I would cry but there is no point. If I'm honest I don't even have a copy of the books, or a library card to get them with (I just moved house). Ah well... Christmas is coming up and i can get them then... my precious.**

CHAPTER 1 – The Hero Who Sulks - Annabeth

I sat outside cabin six, resting my arms which were stiff from training. Outside the main building I could see the Stolls and Chiron, and they were not getting on. I had never thought Chiron, calm and reasoned could appear so ridiculously furious. He seemed close to pawing his hooves on the ground and flaring his nostrils. Travis and Connor seemed aware of this too, and I watched them swallow almost simultaneously. I allowed myself a grin.

Percy walked out of his cabin sulking.

'You ok?' I asked him.

His only response was a sigh.

'Is it the war thing again? Because I know something to cheer you up,' I pointed at the Stolls.

Percy didn't even look up. 'It's going to seem silly but…'

'What? You can tell me anything. Promise.'

'No, it's silly.'

I began to feel annoyance creeping into her voice. 'Just tell me.'

'Well… I really, really want… some blueberry icing. I can't help it.'

'Percy, we are in the middle of a war and all you can think about is food.'

'It's not just any food is it, it's blueberry icing.'

He looked wistfully away into the distance and I almost wished she had blueberry icing, but not to eat, to squish into his face. When she saw him frown she felt guilty though – his big imaginary blueberry icing must have disappeared. It was hard not to laugh. Percy Jackson, hero of Olympus, crying over imaginary blueberry icing. I gave him a glare when I heard a little sob.

'OMG Percy will you stop being such a baby!'

He looked up at me with puppy dog eyes yet I kept her face serious, unsympathetic. But then I had to give in.

'Well, we don't have any blueberry icing, how about you go for a swim that always cheers you up doesn't it? Or go and talk to blackjack.

'No, it's not the same.'

I bit me lip. I was a daughter of Athena, surely I should be able to think of something.

'Come on, let's do something,'

'No.'

'Yes.'

'Fine, like what?'

I leaned close and whispered 'I'm not telling you.'

'But… but that's not fair,'

I raised my eyebrows and began to walk towards the woods. Percy slowly followed me, sulking as he dragged his feet across the ground. I gritted my teeth.

'Tough.'

He smiled. But looked, sad again when I turned around. I led him slowly to the woods, by the river.

'Ok, I have a surprise for you but you can't peak so I'm blindfolding you.' I pulled a strip of bandage out of my bag and tied it around Percy's eyes.

'No peaking.'

I tiptoed away silently until I was far enough away not to be heard, then ran full speed to the kitchen. Time to learn how to make brownies. I found a recipe in an old cook book, though I had had to dust it off first, and began to cook. When the brownies were in the oven I found Travis and Connor, sulking from their telling off, but they cheered up when I told them the plan. They came with blue food colouring and cans of Coca-Cola which she then poured into glasses. It was all going well, until I saw the brownies. Uh-oh. They were a disaster. Cooking was supposed to be easy – the Aphrodite kids could do it.

'So how do we colour the… brownies?' I asked Connor.

'Umm… before they go in the oven…'

'Seriously?! So the brownies aren't blue and they are all burnt and undercooked at the same time?! I'm never cooking again!'

'That might be a good idea,' Travis joked, but then backed off when he saw my glare.

'So…' Connor began. 'Can we come? We did help make the brownies after all.'

My glare deepened. 'No.'

'Please. We did – '

'No. It's just for me and Percy.'

The Stolls looked at each other. 'Oooooh,' but then skittered out of the door when I picked up a kitchen knife.

A/N: Really hope you liked the humor - although I find it hard to write. Criticisms welcome, R&R.


	3. are those brownies

**Once again... I don't own the Percy Jackson books. saying this over and over again is killing me... its rubbing it in that I don't own them...yet.**

CHAPTER 3 – are those... brownies - Annabeth

A few minutes later I brought the food to Percy, only to find he wasn't there.

'Percy! Where the hell are you?'

'Boo!'

Despite myself I jumped, nearly dropping the tray. Percy caught a glass of coke that began to topple.

'Very funny, Seaweed brain.'

He smiled, but that quickly turned into a frown when he saw the brownies.

'What are those?' he sounded repulsed. 'Are those… brownies?'

'Yep and that's blue coke!' I said happily.

'Wow… umm that's great!' He quickly took a sip from one of the tall, blue glasses, not wanting to be force-fed a whatever-the-hell-that-was. 'Mmm.'

I looked at him strangely.

'What? Things always taste better when they're blue.'

Percy suddenly spluttered – choking on his drink.

'Are you ok?' I asked, concerned.

'Yeah. I'll be fine,' he coughed again. 'But right now I feel like I've _dyed_ a little inside.' He continued choking, doubling over. 'I just feel a little _blue_.'

I rolled my eyes.

'You know, I have a feeling that you are always stupidest on the brink of death. NEVER use puns on me again.'

Percy smiled at me, a cheeky grin that I would have made him sorry for if he was anyone else. The smile that I loved. I gave him a hug and a gentle kiss on the cheek, but he held me in the hug. She looked up at his eyes, those deep, green eyes, and he looked into mine. Then the forest exploded. Not with love, not a metaphor, the forest was set on fire and literally exploded. We covered our ears as a screech you could have heard at Hades' palace filled the silence. Great, what timing. It was Apollo, and his car was on fire.

The car, ironically a fire truck, slid to a stop, where the god of the sun himself jumped out, brushing the dust off his clothes whilst he turned to assess the damage. All three of us ducked to avoid being slammed into by pieces of scrap metal as an explosion shook the engine. Apollo backed slowly away.

'Ha, and Artemis said I couldn't make an entrance.' Then his face grew sad. 'Could you guys help me find Chiron and Dionysus?'

'Sure,' Percy and I both replied, then turned to glare at each other. Apollo watched, amused. Then we looked back at the god. What, no haiku? There was definitely something up. They walked on past the arena, smiling as they heard a complaint from a loud, annoying voice – Clarisse. They would hear about that later.

'So why are you coming here then? Not to be rude,' Percy asked in his usual, dumb way, the way that would have got him killed if this was any god but Apollo.

'Artemis is missing.'

'With the hunters?' I cut across, both me and Percy thinking about Thalia.

'Yes.' Apollo nodded grimly. 'They won't organise a search up in Olympus. They are too busy thinking about Gaea. One minor goddess isn't worth their trouble. They think it's too late.' Apollo kicked the ground. Now gods were turning against gods.

'What about Athena?' I asked, sure that my mother would have seen what Gaea was trying to do.

'Zeus made the decision, no one else got a say. He wouldn't let her leave Olympus - Said it was too much trouble. He thought if Athena thought it was a good idea others would follow. The only place I could think to come was here.'

'We could go – with others of course. We might have to sneak out though. Mr D isn't too keen on any one of us leaving. He'll turn us into dolphins.'

_'Seven half-bloods shall answer the call,_

_To storm of fire, the world must fall,_

_An oath to keep with final breath,_

_And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death.'_

All three of us turned to look to see where the voice had come from. We had heard this prophecy before, why was it here again? What was so important? Maybe it was because Apollo was here – that would be it. I reassured herself. Rachel stood in the window of the big house, looking out over them. She looked as though she hadn't realised she had spoken. I turned back to Apollo and Percy.

'So we should go with all seven of us?'

Apollo nodded. 'But... you might not all come back.'

**A/N: Don't have much to say... other than yesterday I ordered 9 books yet I can't have them until my birthday and i want to read them soooooo badly. Yes, Percy Jackson is among them.**


	4. Valdez to the rescue

**No, I don't own the books... how surprising would it be if i did though, do people honestly expect some to go: yes i own these books completely and totally**

Chapter 4 – Valdez to the rescue - Percy

I was packed within a minute, simply collecting the bags that were on the floor of my cabin, and checking I had everything.

By the time I got out Annabeth was already waiting for me.

'We need to wake up Piper and Leo' Annabeth said

'Leo first, Piper will be more likely to tell on us. She's too goody two shoes.'

'No way – Piper first. Leo will make too much noise and then where will we be.'

'I get Leo, You get Piper and we meet by the arena.'

'Fine.'

I strolled casually along to the Hephaestus cabin, trying to seem inconspicuous, when really, I felt as though everyone could tell I was up to something. I could see Annabeth opposite him, swallowing before knocking on the Aphrodite cabin. I could imagine she was scared – the previous time she had come out of there with a full makeover.

I turned back to the door and knocked. I watched the steam escape from the door before it opened. Leo stood waiting, his face was blackened with smoke, and his hair appeared to have been electrocuted. 'Yello,' he said brightly.

'You need to be really quiet we need to get out of camp before Mr D sees us.'

'Where are we going?'

'I'll tell you later. Help me rescue Annabeth from the Aphrodite cabin. – and let me do the talking.'

'Why can't I?'

'I don't trust you.'

Leo grinned menacingly.

I came to a stop just before the tidily painted checkerboard deck. I listened for sounds of squealing. Oh yes. Annabeth was trapped.

'Valdez to the rescue!' Leo shouted, but his excitement disappeared after he felt the full force of a glare from me. We walked up to the door together. I gently began to open the door, but then it jerked open from the other side, and the overly bubbly figure of a girl with styled, platinum blonde hair appeared. She jumped in surprise, then ran to bring the others, who all shrieked.

'Hello… are you looking for Annabeth?'

'Ummm,' was all I managed to say, but then Leo came to his rescue.

'Hello ladies out the way, Valdez coming through!' he ignored the glares cut in his direction, and winked at a girl in his way. She moved. Now I had a straight path to Annabeth and Piper. I was tempted to just run. Leo attempted to run his hands through his hair, yet it was stiff and coated with soot. He shrugged at me, and I in turn shrugged back. Annabeth grabbed Piper's arm and all four of us made a beeline for the exit.

We ran to find Apollo's chariot waiting for them by the woods.

'Get in!' he yelled over the noise of the engine.

'I can't take you far, but I can get you out of camp without you getting turned into dolphins.' He looked behind him at the swarming Aphrodite crowd. 'Or Barbie dolls.'

'Thanks,' I said.

The sun chariot – now a campervan, beds already made, flew away toward Camp Jupiter, ahead of the stars that twinkled behind them.

**A/N: Did you know that reading reduces stress by 68% (check that its an internet fact could be false). Then why do exams feel like they are sucking the life out of me? Why? Sorry... R&R**


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